Faces of Fair Trade

Agricultural Missions, Inc. is co-sponsoring this important event.  AMI is an ecumenical program strongly supported by the PCUSA through the Presbyterian Hunger Program, Presbyterian Women, Self Development of People and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.

All are encouraged to participate in one or both of these events.

Thank you,

Rev. Joseph D. Keesecker - Executive Director of Agricultural Missions, Inc.

Farmers Tour Comes to New York City Oct. 27-28th
Celebrates Fair Trade Month

Friday, Oct. 5, 2007 --- Banana farmers from Ecuador and Costa Rica, a pecan farmer from Georgia, and an apple grower from New England, will discuss the challenges they face, their experiences in the market, and the impact of consumer support for fair trade and family farms at two community events in New York City on October 27th and 28th. The farmer talks are part of the “Faces of Fair Trade: Uniting the Global and Local” tour.

· On Sat., Oct. 27th, from 4:00 – 6:00 pm the farmers will speak at the Park Slope Co-op Banana Split Social and Presentation, 782 Union St., Brooklyn.

· On Sun., Oct. 28th, from 7:30 – 9:30 pm the farmers will speak at an interfaith and community event at the Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South, New York City.

The farmers will also tour LifeThyme Market in Manhattan and participate in a Latino community event in Yonkers on Sunday afternoon as part of their visit.

Three New England-based organizations that dedicate themselves to finding markets for small farmers are sponsors of the farmers’ story tour: Oké USA, providers of fair trade fruit www.okeusa.com ; Red Tomato, non-profit marketer of family farm fruits and vegetables www.redtomato.org ; and Equal Exchange, the worker co-op that pioneered fair trade food and beverages in the U.S. www.equalexchange.coop . Local New York sponsors include Oxfam America www.oxfamamerica.org, Slow Food NYC www.slowfoodnyc.org, NYC Fair Trade Coalition www.fairtradenyc.org, Park Slope Food Co-op www.foodcoop.com, Judson Memorial Church www.judson.org, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) www.umcor.org, Agricultural Missions, Inc. (NY) www.agriculturalmissions.org, and Oxfam @ NYU.

In addition to New York, the farmer tour will visit: Minneapolis-St. Paul, Oct. 18-23; Boston, Oct. 24-25; New Haven, Oct. 26th; Philadelphia, Oct. 29-30; and Washington, D.C., Oct. 31 – Nov. 1.

All events are free and open to the public. For the most up-to-date schedule details, please visit the “Faces of Fair Trade: Uniting the Global and Local” tour web page at www.equalexchange.coop/faces-of-fair-trade, or call Oké USA at 973-615-6111.
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